This is an article I wrote for the August '05 issue of California HomeSchooler magazine, the bimonthly publication of the Homeschool Association of California.
"When my children were small, before the possibility of homeschooling had even occured to us, I was a stay-at-home mom who was rarely home.We frequented libraries for storytimes and to borrow our weekly quota of books. We attended park days with a neighborhood playgroup. We visited zoos, children's museums, community theater performances, and the beach.
"Although my children are both now in middle school things haven't changed all that much with respect to us being out and about. In fact these days I'm sometimes introduced as "the field trip mom" because I run Bay Area Homeschool Field Trips (BAHFT), a yahoogroup for homeschool families in the San Francisco Bay Area who enjoy attending field trips, concerts, classes, workshops, seminars, tours, conferences, and other adventures with fellow homeschoolers. BAHFT membership is open to anyone regardless of homeschooling philosophy, methodology, or affiliation. Our 530+ member families represent the full spectrum of those who would consider themselves homeschoolers. Most BAHFT members also belong to at least one other homeschool group. For example, our family belongs to a public ISP and our church support group. Even though we attend field trips with both these groups, belonging to a large and diverse field trip group is useful because it increases our options for participating in interesting activities and making new friends.
"BAHFT was started in February 2003 by another homeschool mom who often found it difficult to pull together enough people from here local support group to do a particular field trip. In the beginning all the BAHFT trips (two per month) were organized by her. We had just begun our homeschooling journey the previous month when we stumbled across BAHFT in our internet search for homeschool information and Bay Area connections. In that first year we attended a hands-on lab at the Intel Museum in Santa Clara, tours of the Rosecrucian Museum and Winchester Mystery House in San Jose, and a zoo education class at the Oakland Zoo. My daughter wants to be a veterinarian, so I entered into the field trip planning business by booking a class on the Responsibilities of Pet Ownership at a local animal shelter, followed by a tour.
"When our BAHFT founder moved out of state in May 2004, she asked if I'd take over as listmom. I agreed. Since then I've organized over 20 field trips for the group; many other members have stepped up to plan trips, classes, and activities as well. Our membership has more than tripled in the past 18 months, so now, whatever their children's ages or interests, San Francisco Bay Area homeschoolers can find eager companions for just about any activity using the BAHFT list.
"Some of my personal recent favorite trips include a lecture/tasting/tour of the Scharffen Berger Chocolate Factory in Berkeley, a performance by San Jose Flamenco Society, and the historic Bernal Gulnac Ranch where we toured a restored ranch house from the Californio period, learned about San Jose's agricultural past, and played games from the 1800s. My 14-year-old son has most enjoyed our three planetarium trips and the New United Motors (NUMMI) factory tour in Fremont, where we rode a tram down the assembly line watching the manufacture of Toyota Corollas and Tacomas (our family owns one of each!). The tidepool hike, Children's Musical Theater's "Seussical" performance, and a tour of the Jelly Belly Factory in Fairfield topped the list for my 11-year-old daughter, along with a visit to San Rafael's Guide Dogs Training Facility.
"Bay Area Homeschool Field Trips has expanded in both membership and scope since its inception. It has grown from one mom's desire to provide quality field trips for her son and a few dozen other homeschool families into a networking tool used by hundreds of homechoolers to attend activites organized by dozens of planners. BAHFT has evolved to include announcements about homeschool days at museums, aquariums, and amusement parks. You'll also find posts about homeschool sports, band, used curriculum sales, square dancing, Lego Logo, chess club, and science classes. You'll be notified of the upcoming HSC, CHN, and CHEA conferences, and our own Diane Keith's Homeschool 101 seminars.
"The San Francisco Bay Area region abounds with opportunities for learning outside AND inside the home, and it is the mission of Bay Area Homeschool Field Trips to let homeschool families in our area know about them!"
[As of today, 1/28/08, BAHFT has 1144 member familes. -SH]
Monday, January 28, 2008
Dinesh D'Souza
What author/speaker is praised by geneticists, evangelical pastors and atheists? The answer is Dinesh D'Souza:
“Responding to the current epidemic of atheist manifestos, Dinesh D’Souza applies just the right balm for the troubled soul. Assembling arguments from history, philosophy, theology, and science—yes, science!—he builds a modern and compelling case for faith in a loving God. If you’re seeking the truth about God, the universe, and the meaning of life, this is a great place to look.”
— Francis Collins, director of The Human Genome Institute
____________________________________
“With scholarship and eloquence that reminds me of C. S. Lewis, Dinesh D’Souza addresses the urgent questions of our time, such as ‘Is Christianity believable in the face of the discoveries of modern science and modern scholarship?’ His answer is a resounding yes. More than a decisive refutation of atheist attacks, this is a powerful, affirming, genuinely exciting argument for Christianity. You may want to carry this one around with you.”
— Reverend Robert H. Schuller
____________________________________
“As an unbeliever, I passionately disagree with Dinesh D’Souza on some of his positions. But he is a first-rate scholar whom I feel absolutely compelled to read. His thorough research and elegant prose have elevated him into the top ranks of those who champion liberty and individual responsibility. Now he adds Christianity to his formula for the good society, and although non-Christians and non-theists may disagree with some of his arguments, we ignore him at our peril. D’Souza’s book takes the debate to a new level. Read it.”
— Michael Shermer, Publisher of Skeptic magazine
If you have not read his books or articles yet, or watched some of his debates with leading atheists of today, I highly recommend them. He has posted video of the debates on his blog. There's a link to his blog in my "Blogs I read" section.
“Responding to the current epidemic of atheist manifestos, Dinesh D’Souza applies just the right balm for the troubled soul. Assembling arguments from history, philosophy, theology, and science—yes, science!—he builds a modern and compelling case for faith in a loving God. If you’re seeking the truth about God, the universe, and the meaning of life, this is a great place to look.”
— Francis Collins, director of The Human Genome Institute
____________________________________
“With scholarship and eloquence that reminds me of C. S. Lewis, Dinesh D’Souza addresses the urgent questions of our time, such as ‘Is Christianity believable in the face of the discoveries of modern science and modern scholarship?’ His answer is a resounding yes. More than a decisive refutation of atheist attacks, this is a powerful, affirming, genuinely exciting argument for Christianity. You may want to carry this one around with you.”
— Reverend Robert H. Schuller
____________________________________
“As an unbeliever, I passionately disagree with Dinesh D’Souza on some of his positions. But he is a first-rate scholar whom I feel absolutely compelled to read. His thorough research and elegant prose have elevated him into the top ranks of those who champion liberty and individual responsibility. Now he adds Christianity to his formula for the good society, and although non-Christians and non-theists may disagree with some of his arguments, we ignore him at our peril. D’Souza’s book takes the debate to a new level. Read it.”
— Michael Shermer, Publisher of Skeptic magazine
If you have not read his books or articles yet, or watched some of his debates with leading atheists of today, I highly recommend them. He has posted video of the debates on his blog. There's a link to his blog in my "Blogs I read" section.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Back to School
I have gone back to school!
Actually, that sounds more dramatic than it is, since I'll only be a student for 4 months, finishing in May. I'm taking 9 units at SJSU to complete my Multiple Subjects Credential. This is basically the credential required to teach in a California public elementary school. (I already have a Single Subject Credential for Math & English.) This week I had over 200 pages to read (and take notes on) just for my 6 unit Language Arts Instruction class. The reading itself is easy, and the material is actually pretty interesting, but it's a LOT! For my Math Instruction class we just had to solve a brain teaser. I found one solution while I was still sitting in class, and at home I found another, which Westin helped me with. Here is the puzzle, in case you're interested:
How do you measure exactly 4 gallons of root beer if the only containers you have are an unlimited vat of root beer, a 3-gallon container, and a 5-gallon container?
Why am I taking classes? My kids are getting older and more independent. They will be 14 and 17 this Spring. I would like to get a part-time job in the next year or two. Before having kids, I was a teacher at Valley Christian High School and several public elementary schools, but I never got the hang of classroom management, and I don't want to return to that career. At least not in that form.
Our family has appreciated having the public school home study option for our homeschooling. Westin & Susie have both been enrolled in our local elementary district's Independent Study Program, and then California Virtual Academy, a charter school. In these programs, students and parents work with a credentialed teacher to plan lessons. The district or school provides all the learning materials free of charge. For CAVA, this includes a computer and printer/scanner. In exchange, families must submit work samples, the number varying with each program. Both Westin and Susie have since transfered into our own private school to finish their high school education. Nonetheless, we greatly benefitted from the availability of the public homeschool programs as new homeschoolers. With my new credential, I'll be able to take a position as a supervising teacher in one of these programs, working with families who choose to educate their children at home, but with the support of an accredited public school.
As I study, study, study this semester I hope I am setting a good example for my kids. So far I am also enjoying the classes. I ride the lightrail from near my home to SJSU, listening to my new iPod or reading. If I don't post many messages this semester, you'll know why.
Actually, that sounds more dramatic than it is, since I'll only be a student for 4 months, finishing in May. I'm taking 9 units at SJSU to complete my Multiple Subjects Credential. This is basically the credential required to teach in a California public elementary school. (I already have a Single Subject Credential for Math & English.) This week I had over 200 pages to read (and take notes on) just for my 6 unit Language Arts Instruction class. The reading itself is easy, and the material is actually pretty interesting, but it's a LOT! For my Math Instruction class we just had to solve a brain teaser. I found one solution while I was still sitting in class, and at home I found another, which Westin helped me with. Here is the puzzle, in case you're interested:
How do you measure exactly 4 gallons of root beer if the only containers you have are an unlimited vat of root beer, a 3-gallon container, and a 5-gallon container?
Why am I taking classes? My kids are getting older and more independent. They will be 14 and 17 this Spring. I would like to get a part-time job in the next year or two. Before having kids, I was a teacher at Valley Christian High School and several public elementary schools, but I never got the hang of classroom management, and I don't want to return to that career. At least not in that form.
Our family has appreciated having the public school home study option for our homeschooling. Westin & Susie have both been enrolled in our local elementary district's Independent Study Program, and then California Virtual Academy, a charter school. In these programs, students and parents work with a credentialed teacher to plan lessons. The district or school provides all the learning materials free of charge. For CAVA, this includes a computer and printer/scanner. In exchange, families must submit work samples, the number varying with each program. Both Westin and Susie have since transfered into our own private school to finish their high school education. Nonetheless, we greatly benefitted from the availability of the public homeschool programs as new homeschoolers. With my new credential, I'll be able to take a position as a supervising teacher in one of these programs, working with families who choose to educate their children at home, but with the support of an accredited public school.
As I study, study, study this semester I hope I am setting a good example for my kids. So far I am also enjoying the classes. I ride the lightrail from near my home to SJSU, listening to my new iPod or reading. If I don't post many messages this semester, you'll know why.
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